'Citizen' Soeharto questioned

'Citizen' Soeharto questioned

JAKARTA (JP): Citizen Soeharto was grilled for more than three
hours by three government prosecutors amid heavy security here on
Wednesday over allegations of corruption connected to him during
his 32 years in power.

The former president left his Cendana residence in Central
Jakarta in a Mercedes Jeep escorted by a convoy of luxury
vehicles for the questioning at the Jakarta high prosecutor's
office on Jl. HR Rasuna Said in Kuningan, South Jakarta. Here,
his investigators addressed him as Saudara (an honorific term for
addressing an equal).

Some avenues, including Jl. HR Rasuna Said where the high
prosecutor's office is located, and Jl. Casablanca as well as the
Mampang intersection in South Jakarta, were closed off during the
session. This created heavy congestion that lasted for hours.

Students and residents alike were stranded because public
transport was barred from some avenues. They had to walk or race
for free rides on military trucks.

Meanwhile, spectators gathered expectantly outside the
Attorney General's Office in the Blok M area in South Jakarta
where the questioning had been previously scheduled to take
place. The last minute change of venue, believed to be designed
to foil protests, had also caused confusion on the part of many
journalists.

However, while hundreds of soldiers and police guarded the
sprawling attorney general's office, only about 100 men, mostly
police and military police were at the chief prosecutor's office.

The heavy security was believed to be in anticipation of mass
student demonstrations demanding Soeharto's trial. In the past
few days these rallies have targeted the attorney general's
office, Soeharto's residence and Merdeka Palace.

Immediately after the session, Soeharto briefed journalists
for several minutes.

"I have answered the summons of the attorney general to
provide the necessary information," he said.

"If there is a need for further questioning, I have said that
I will always be prepared to meet any requirements of the
attorney general," he said.

Dressed in a traditional black cap and brown batik shirt, the
77-year-old veteran ruler declined to give further comment,
saying it would be inappropriate as he was still under
investigation.

"This was all in the framework of preliminary investigation,"
spokesman for the attorney general's office, Barman Zahir, told
reporters afterwards. He did not say whether further questioning
would be sought.

Three deputy attorney generals -- Antonius Sujata from the
special crimes unit, Ramelan from general crimes and Syamsu
Djalaludin for intelligence affairs -- questioned Soeharto.

Barman said 43 questions were asked concerning Soeharto's
charity foundations, the national car program, his bank deposits,
lands and other assets.

Soeharto, who arrived for questioning at 7:20 a.m. was
accompanied by seven lawyers. They were Syamsul Hadi, Victor
Siregar, O.C. Kaligis, Juan Felix Tampubolon, Deny Kailimang,
Indriyanto Senoaji and M. Assegaf.

Barman said later that another lawyer of Soeharto's, Aibrah
Said, did not appear as he was still attending an ongoing court
session.

Barman also confirmed that Syamsu early Wednesday had decided
to move the venue. Barman said the special treatment was "for the
sake of the security of us all."

Soeharto has already met twice with officials from the
attorney general's office since he stepped down under pressure in
May, but Wednesday's was his first summons.

In September, Attorney General Andi M. Ghalib went to his
residence to seek information on his bank accounts, and Soeharto
returned the visit a few days later to submit draft letters
granting permission to open any bank accounts bearing his name
both here and overseas.

Bob Hasan

Meanwhile, at the attorney general's office, Soeharto's key
business associate and former trade and industry minister,
Mohamad "Bob" Hasan, underwent separate questioning.

Hasan told the prosecutors the Dharmais Foundation, one of the
seven foundations chaired by Soeharto, has since 1995 lent his
holding company, the Nusamba Group, Rp 750 billion (US$100.3
million) to finance several "people-benefiting" projects.

He was quoted by Barman as saying the use of the money was
upon the approval of Soeharto.

"The money was used to complete the construction of Samarinda-
based pulp and paper factory PT Kiani Lestari and for equity
participation in 20 Secondary Banks (BPR) in West, Central and
East Java and Bali," Hasan said.

The investigation on Hasan was led by Lukman Bahmid, an
Inspector at the Attorney General's Office.

Hasan said the money was also used for equity participation in
a tea factory in West Java.

"The tea factory has been helpful in increasing the income of
the tea plantation workers," he said, citing the fact that
workers used to be paid Rp 50 per kilogram.

"Now, they are paid Rp 600 to Rp 700 per kilogram," he
claimed.

Hasan also told the prosecutors about the capital structure of
the Tugu Insurance, which is 35 percent owned by Nusamba, 40
percent by state-owned Pertamina oil company, and the remaining
25 percent by the Pertamina Pension Fund.

Asked whether the loan to the Nusamba Group has indicated any
corrupt, collusive and nepotistic practices, Barman said the
prosecutors were still evaluating the investigation's preliminary
findings.

"Bob Hasan was summoned to give testimony over the ongoing
investigation," Barman said, but failed to elaborate on the legal
status of Hasan.

Barman, however, said that the attorney general's office may
resummon Bob for another round of questioning. (byg/edt/imn)